


Thommy and the surrogate

by elizainlove



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Humor, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-19
Updated: 2014-11-19
Packaged: 2018-02-26 07:30:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2643386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizainlove/pseuds/elizainlove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern day AU where Sybil decides enough is enough when Thomas tells her he and Jimmy have been turned down yet again by the adoption agency- She offers to be their surrogate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thommy and the surrogate

**Author's Note:**

> I think this will just be a one-shot but if I have time (i doubt i will) i might add a couple of small series fics that document the pregnancy and maybe a bit after.
> 
> Enjoy.

Jimmy stomped into the sitting room and flopped down on the sofa before picking up the remote and flicking on the TV. Thomas loitered in the doorway looking at his feet. He didn’t know how much longer he could take this- how much longer they could take this. It was destroying them and the adoption agencies didn’t seem to care.

“Jimmy…” Thomas said quietly. The man hadn’t spoken since the women had left- always a bed sign “Jimmy…don’t…”  
Jimmy ignored him and continued to flick through the channels, coming to a stop on a shopping show where an overweight woman in too much makeup was holding up a hideous brown woolly jumper. For a minute her voice was all that filled the small room. It grated on Thomas ears.

“Table edges too bloody pointy? WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?” Jimmy almost yelled into the silence 

Thomas just looked at him, they both knew why they had been turned down yet again. 

“I HATE being gay” Jimmy grumbled, slouching even further down the soft so his chin was resting on his chest while his legs splayed out in front of him.

“Thanks” Thomas said, attempting a humorous tone but only managing to sound flat “It’s not us” He took a breath “It’s them and their twisted views”

Jimmy began to flick again, grunting in anger as a baby’s face appeared, laughing happily on some advert “I’m so close to giving up, Thomas”

He sounded so broken. Thomas decided he preferred it when he had been angry “I know, darling” he moved to sit down next to his husband “You’d think we were some cult religious nutters with a sex dungeon or something” Jimmy moved to sit in Thomas’ lap and brought his knees up to his chest as the man held him close 

“I don’t get it” He sighed “We want a child so badly, and there are kids that need a home. We are willing and able to give them that, so why the fuck can’t we? There are single fathers out there, aren’t there? We are just double that! Girls are getting knocked up and giving their babies away because they’re not ready- WE ARE. It makes me so angry, Thomas”

“I know, me too” Thomas said and he stroked Jimmy’s hair, trying to calm himself down “It’s not bloody right. Us getting shirked” He kissed Jimmy’s head and spoke into his hair “Don’t let it get you down, there are other agencies and other ways”

“But we can’t afford the other ways, can we? We would have to save for another few years at least to be able to pay for a surrogate and then the baby afterwards. I can’t wait that long, Thomas”

Jimmy was close to giving up completely, Thomas knew. They had been through all the emotional stages, first happiness and excitement, then determination, followed by denial, then had come the anger and now this, devastating upset and near surrender. They both felt it, the crippling reality of their situation. No agency in Yorkshire was going to accept them as parents- it just wasn’t going to happen.

Thomas looked at the vintage clock on the wall and gave Jimmy a quick squeeze “I guess I have to go tell Sybil she has lost out on the chance of getting a new little cousin again” he got up

Jimmy stared at him 

“What?”

“Are you just going to leave me?” he looked put out

Thomas tried not to roll his eyes “I already told you I had arranged to meet up with Sybil, what do you want me to do? It’s too late to cancel”

Jimmy crossed his arms “Why don’t you just have a baby with her instead, maybe the agency would love you then” He pouted and added “On second thoughts, they would probably be able to see you for what you are instantly. A fag”

Thomas raised his eyebrows “That’s rich coming from last night’s bottom” he sighed and lent in to kiss his husband “Look, I will make it quick, okay? I will be back in a few hours. I’ll cook tonight”

Jimmy glared at him but said “Fine” and allowed Thomas to kiss him slowly so a while “Bastard”

“I love you to, darling”

XXX

Thomas pulled up to the Abbey in his second hand car and felt the familiar feeling of being judged. It wasn’t that the family were all that bad- and to be honest he didn’t even know if they knew they did this- but they each gave off the unmistakable persona of ‘I’m better than you in every way’. Especially Mary, though in her defense she pushed for difference almost as much as Sybil did- just in different ways.

“Thomas, dear!” He got out his car to find his best friend’s ginning form running across the gravel towards him “How did it go? Tell me you have good news at last?”

Thomas only grimaced and caught her in a hug “I’m afraid our tables are apparently too pointy now”

She held him at arm’s length “You are joking me?” Thomas shrugged “That’s madness”

They walked towards the ‘house’ in silence before she said quietly “How’s Jimmy? I know how upset he was the last time”

Thomas paused before saying “Not great to be honest. I left him watching TV but I said I would only be gone a little while”

“Of course, of course! I mustn’t keep you too long. This has been so hard on you both. Cant he talk to Ivy?”

Thomas smirked “nahhh, she’s no good at this sort of thing, her and Alfred blunder it up and always end up saying the wrong things. Daisy tries though”

Sybil nodded in concentration as they entered the Library and sat next to one another on the luxurious sofa “You simply must keep trying”

“The problem is” Thomas took off his jacket and sat back, massaging his eyes with his hand “we are fast running out of agencies- soon we will have to look in place like bloody Brighton”

“That’s not a bad idea!” She brightened “Aren’t there loads of gay couples there?”

Thomas huffed a laugh “Exactly! Can you imagine the waiting list for those places?”

Mr Carson then appeared in the room carrying tea and set it on the small coffee table before them “Can I get you anything else?”

“No, no that’s fine Carson, thank you” She smiled absently, clearly thinking hard

“Very well M’Lady” He nodded and began to poor tea

Thanks for the acknowledgment, Thomas thought. Normally he would have said something- made Carson go get him something from the kitchens, after all, he was one of the family. Today however, I let it drop, he just didn’t have the energy.

“What about surrogacy?” Sybil suggested 

“We can’t afford that- and anyway, do you really know anyone in Rippon who would have a baby for two gay blokes?”

Carson gave a splutter and straighten up quickly. Thomas quirked an amused eyebrow as Sybil chided “Now really, Mr Carson”

“I’m most sorry M’Lday” Then he was turning and leaving the room, blatantly resisting the urge to mutter

The library fell into silence and Thomas took it as his cue to put a lump of sugar and milk into both their teas and take a sip of his own, sighing deeply. He felt the stress drain out of him just ever so slightly as the liquid warmed him.

“You say you can’t afford a surrogate?” Sybil said tentatively, taking a sip from her own cup

“Nope, not if we then want to be able to afford the baby once they come” He took another sip. Maybe he should change the subject soon

“What if I did it?”

Silence.

“I’m sorry, what?” Thomas stared at her, mouth slightly open. She couldn’t have just said what he thinks she did…right..?...

Sybil shifted and looked him right in the eye “I will do it. You won’t have to pay me because I only work for something to do and it’s not like I need the money. I’ve had a child already so I know what I am getting myself into and I am sure Tom won’t mind” When Thomas just continued to stare at her, dumbfounded she added matter-of-factually “I love both you and James, and I happen to think you would be excellent parents given the opportunity”

“I…what..?” Thomas couldn’t talk, his brain wasn’t catching up fast enough “I- We- we couldn’t ask you to do that for us” he finally stammered out

“You’re not asking, if you hadn’t noticed. I’m offering” and she took a sip of tea in a very final way

“You…” but he trailed into silence again, unable to form thought let alone coherent speech 

“I will have to talk to Tom of course, but ultimately this is my decision and I want to do this for the two of you”

Thomas put down his cup, took hers and placed it next to his on the table then enclosed his hands around his cousin’s “Are you sure. One hundred percent sure. I won’t blame you if you want to back out, but I want you to be sure before I say anything to Jimmy”

Sybil smiled broadly at him “I can assure you I want to do this. I am completely on board”

Thomas let a lopsided smile cover his face and the realisation hit him “We’re having a baby…?”

She grinned and nodded “You’re going to be a father”

Thomas laughed and hugged her

“I’m sorry you’re WHAT?” came Tom’s voice from the door

XXX 

“Don’t you think this is a decision we should have made together?” shouted Tom’s voice from the other side of the door Thomas had just closed tight behind him

“I was going to ask, yes. But to be honest with you, it’s my body and my friends that are in need!” Sybil sounded equally as angry

“I’m your husband” 

“That doesn’t give you the rights to me” 

Thomas winced, Tom wasn’t going to win this one and he would bet the man already knew this. Could he bring himself to feel bad about driving a wedge between them? 

…no…

“That’s- I never- I DIDN’T MEAN THAT”

“Well what did you mean? I’ve been pregnant before, you won’t have to do ANYTHING. Do you not get what they’re going through? All they want is a child! Can you imagine being denied the rights to have Sybbie over and over again? IMAGINE JUST FOR ONE SECOND-” 

She was livid. Thomas smirked and felt a warm glow of pride at having a best friend who was so spectacular. 

Then Thomas heard a cough from behind him and he turned to see Lady Grantham looking at him expectantly just as “FINE. FINE. HAVE IT YOUR WAY” was yelled from inside the room

“Uh…Good afternoon Cousin Cora, I was just” Thomas began but before he could finish, Tom was tearing the door open and marching through the middle of the two. He stopped three feet away and turned, arms crossed tightly across his chest to glare at Thomas.

Lady Grantham knitted her eyebrows together, looked between Thomas and Tom and muttered “Now what is this about?”  
“Ask him” Tom gave a short nod at Thomas whose attention was now fixed away from them both, he was watching as Sybil appeared in the doorway. 

She beamed at him “All systems go I believe”

Thomas stepped forwards, taking her hands in his again “You mean…?”

She practically glowed with happiness as she nodded. He let out a shaky laugh and engulfed her in a hug, lifting his friend off the floor and spinning her back into the Library.

Thomas couldn’t stop grinning. Even as he drove back to his small house he felt his chest expanding with glee. It was going to happen. 

XXX

“JIMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY” he screamed even before he had completely finished unlocking the door “JIMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYY”

The man came skidding from the sitting room, his sock clad feet slipping on the polished wooden floor “WHAT? WHAT IS IT?” Then he saw Thomas face “What’s happened? I thought you had been shot or something- AHH”

Thomas launched himself at Jimmy, knocking him backwards onto the floor he lay on top of his confused husband “Sybil” He managed to say. Now the time had come to finally say the words he felt like there wasn’t enough oxygen in the world

Jimmy looked at him warily, wrapping his legs and arms around the man above him “What about her…?”

“She- she- oh god Jimmy it’s so perfect!” His kissed Jimmy who responded enthusiastically enough but was clearly still incredibly bewildered “She’s my cousin, right?”

“Yeah I know that…”

“So that means they would be in the family! Part of our actual family! OUR OWN BLOOD ON BOTH SIDES!” He grinned at Jimmy who looked at him like he was mad “The baby” Thomas added stupidly 

There was a silence and then Jimmy said “What?”

Thomas took a calming breath and closed the still open front door with his foot “Sybil. She has offered to carry our baby”

Jimmy’s eyes widened and he sat up suddenly “You’re kidding me?”

“Nope” Thomas shifted so he was sitting cross-legged with Jimmy facing him in his lap “And she said she will do it for free…of course I was thinking we offer her a bit of money or at least buy all the pregnancy stuff she will need- but you see how perfect this is?”

Jimmy kissed him. Long and hard. Thomas could feel the tears that were streaming down his face. They had wanted this for so long and now it was within reach. Finally. 

“If I donate” Jimmy pulled back from the kiss and placed his forehead against Thomas’ “Then the baby will be as much me as it is you…OH THOMAS!” 

He laughed and hugged him tightly “I know, I KNOW! Tom wasn’t too happy but he will come round”

Jimmy gave a watery laugh “FUCK Tom” He pulled off Thomas’ shirt “We are getting a baby!”

XXX


End file.
